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Jaeger
Jaegers (ˈjɛːɡɐ, Jäger; German for "Hunter") are a special type of mobile weapon created by the Jaeger Program. The Jaegers were the most effective first and last line of defense against the Kaiju during the First Kaiju War. With the events of the Second Breach, a second generation of Jaegers were built to combat the new Kaiju threat, and a new system of combat was introduced. First Generation History Creation The Jaeger Program was first developed by Dr. Lars Gottlieb shortly after Jasper Schoenfeld proposed the idea for the Jaeger at the 2014 conference in Seoul, South Korea following the fourth Kaiju attack on Sydney, Australia in September. Prior to the conference, Schoenfeld looked for a more efficient way of killing the monsters without the use of nuclear weapons. Upon witnessing his son playing with a toy robot and toy monster in his room, he came across the inspiration for giant humanoid mechs which could stand up to the Kaiju without resorting to nuclear weapons. Dr. Jasper Schoenfeld's idea was approved by the United Nations. With the help of Caitlin Lightcap, an expert in brain-machine interface, Schoenfeld was given funding to begin construction on the first prototype Jaeger in a warehouse in Pittsburgh. However, the cost of production made the Pan Pacific Defense Corps hesitant to continue funding Schoenfield and Lightcap. The assistance of Stacker Pentecost in testing the Pons System's effectiveness, however, convinced the Defense Corps. to give the scientists a larger backing than before. Though the construction of the first Mark-1 prototype Jaeger Brawler Yukon was successful, drawbacks connected to the neural interface overloading the mind of its test pilot brought into question the Jaeger Program's feasibility. Lightcap's risk to bridge with the mind of the next test pilot, Sergio D'onofrio, created a connection between the two allowing them to simultaneously pilot the Jaeger successfully. Pleased with the results, the Defense Corps greenlit the production of more Mark-1 Jaegers that were later deployed across the Pacific in specific countries. Mark Status The “Mark" label assigned to each Jaeger refers to the launch schedule. The production program was divided into five annual roll-outs that began in 2015 and ended in 2019. Six Mark-1’s were deployed in 2015, followed by the Mark-2’s in 2016 and the Mark-3's in 2017. Mark-4 and Mark-5 Jaegers were the last produced in 2018 and 2019. Jaegers have no standardized design template; body-types vary widely within each “mark." This level of diversity among the Jaeger designs and weaponry was a tactical response to the high variability in Kaiju shapes. All Mark-1 through Mark-3 Jaegers utilized nuclear reactors, which put their pilots at substantial risk of developing cancer. Gipsy Danger and Cherno Alpha were the last active nuclear-powered Jaegers to play a part in the continued defense of Hong Kong and mission to assault the Breach. Mark-4 and Mark-5 Jaegers, however, used digital technology, minimizing the dangers to the pilots inside the Conn-Pod. Combat As an alternative to nuclear weaponry, Jaegers were designed to generate as much kinetic energy as tactical ordnance. They were built to match the estimated scale of Kaiju, and minimize damage created by conventional weapons. However, given the toxic nature of the Kaiju, Jeagers were required to rely on hand-to-hand combat and close-quarters weapons such as swords or other blade-type weapons. In conjunction with close-quarters combat, heat-based weapons such as the Plasmacaster minimize the spread of Kaiju Blue, as they can wound and cauterize the creature at the same time. In order to prevent damage to major cities, Jeagers are often deployed from their respective Shatterdomes into the neighboring harbors or oceans of cities that hug the coastlines of the Pacific Rim. Though they fight at a disadvantage in the water, a Jaeger's priority is to prevent Kaiju from crossing the Miracle Mile, the last-ditch perimeter within a few miles offshore. Should a Kaiju bypass a Jaeger and cross the ten mile line, it becomes difficult to stop a Kaiju from reaching the land. As such, unavoidable combat that occurs within populated cities creates equal, if not more damage to the surrounding environment. Combat with a Kaiju, is estimated to take two hours or more. Whether this is determinate of the pilot's skills or strength is undetermined. Operations Deployed and constructed in Shatterdomes, First Generation Jaegers were handled and maintained by dedicated teams assigned to each mech. The LOCCENT Mission Control and controller appointed to LOCCENT oversee various operations and deployment. Jaegers were controlled by two, or rarely three, pilots stationed inside the Conn-Pod. Pilots were equipped in a type of specialized armor that allows them to simultaneously interface with the machine. The pilots' very minds were connected in a neural bridge that allows them to control the machine's every movement. Second Generation Jaegers are piloted in a similar manner, though smaller Jaegers, known as Archers, could be piloted by a single individual without fear of causing neural overload. Second Generation Jaegers With the return of the Kaiju, the world saw itself in need of the Jaegers once again. But because of its cost to produce Jaegers, politicians were hesitant to allocating limited resources to the program. Instead, Zenith, a massive multi-billion dollar conglomerate, would pay for the construction of the Jaegers in exchange for rights to harvesting Kaiju, as well securing numerous lucrative defense contracts. Zenith employed renowned physicist, Dr. Emil Reinhardt, to convert his famous clean fusion reactor into engines for the Jaegers. This in turn created larger quantities of energy to power the individual machines without the costly refueling necessary in previous models. M.I.M.E System Also, a team of scientists was brought together to develop a new system of control for the Jaegers by redesigning the Conn-Pod and how a pilot can interface with the machine. While the old Jaegers used the Pons System, the drawback to it was that two pilots were required to control a Jaeger or else a single pilot would suffer a neural overload that could potentially lead to death. Using the Pons System as a stepping stone, a new system needed to be created that would lessen the strain on the brain by distributing it through the body, as well. This meant creating a system using implanted sensors in the pilot's body that could transmit signals through the Jaeger to activate its movements. This form of muscle singalling allowed the Jaegers quicker response time and a more fluid and natural movement based on the pilot's individual physical capabilities. The new system is known as Muscle Integration Memory Extension System, or simply M.I.M.E. System. With each interface with the Jaeger, the movements and thinking pattern are recorded so that the machine can learn and perform these actions quicker each time. With the mental strain lifted and equally dispered into the physical body, a Jaeger can now be piloted by a single individual without risk of neural overload. Though the time a Jaeger can be controlled in this manner is much more limited than if two were sharing the load. Also, larger Jaegers will always require a minimum of two pilots due to its sheer size. To initiate the interface, a "Neural Handshake" is still required to merge both man and machine into a single conciousness and perform their actions simultaneously. Drivesuit With a new interfacing system, a suit had to be created to accommodate those changes. The Drivesuit was altered with various circuitry, namely full body sensors that helped transmit the movement through the harness connecting the pilot to the machine. No longer anchored by the feet to the platform, the Drivesuit had built in resistance that helped simulate the same resistance a Jaeger was facing. This was noticeable whenever the pilot was walking, running or leaping, as the Drivesuit would recreate the pressure and resistance the Jaeger was facing to perform such actions. The Drivesuit also helped monitor a pilot's vital signs much more accurately, as well as release small nanobots to help relax a pilot if stressed, repair internal damages from the rigors of inside the Conn-Pod. Each Drivesuit is different from Shatterdome, with some appearing a singular color, while others appear with patterns and painted markings depending on the pilot's personality. Jaegers & Archers Because the Jaeger's are still massive in nature and require a great deal of energy and maintainance, there are two different types: Big Jaegers and Little Jaegers. A "Big Jaeger", typically referenced as either "Big Brother" or "Big Sister" depending on the gender the pilots associate it with, are the larger Jaegers typically seen during the First Kaiju War. They serve as the main firepower against the Kaiju in the water along the cost. The Little Jaeger, known as Archers, are smaller Jaegers nearly half the size of their larger siblings and also share a similar naming system such as "Little Brother" or "Little Sister". These Archers serve as a defense against any Kaiju that make landfall, as well as smaller Kaiju that do not require as much firepower as the bigger Jaeger. Archers are also known as being much faster, agile and are capable of sustained flight due to their smaller size. They possess handheld weapons and have much more firepower to make up for the smaller size and less physical strength. This allows them to fight from a safe distance while a supressing fire. Also, an Archer only requires a single pilot to operate, lessening the mental burden when interfacing with the machine. Jaeger Crew Each Jaeger is supported by their own crew that consists of: one main Jaeger, an Archer, and several Scouts. Scouts serve as the Jaeger's eyes in the sky and help identify the location of a Kaiju, as well as provide additional information regarding the target, such as size and unusual features. Scouts can also lay supressive fire to distract a Kajiu and provide the Jaeger an opening to attack or regain control from a prone position. Aside from this battle crew, Jaegers are also supported by a full staff of mechanics and engineers that repair any damage a Jaeger has sustained. Blue Zones & Red Zones While the Pan Pacific Defense Corps still uses the principle of the Miracle Mile to defend the coast, also known as the Blue Zone, drastic changes to the environment have caused civilizations to retreat from the coastal cities of the Pacific Ocean and abandon them. These depopulated zones are known as Red Zones and are the primary battlegrounds on land before reaching the newly fortified Anti-Kaiju Walls protecting the remaining population. These abandoned zones are monitored by strategically placed Shatterdomes and satellite surveillance that monitor the Second Breach, as well provide some assistance in transferring goods from harbors to the rest of civilization. Known Jaegers First Generation Jaegers ''Main Article: First Generation Jaegers'' First Generation Jaegers were those piloted during the First Kaiju War, featuring most noteably Cherno Alpha, Crimson Typhoon, Striker Eureka and Gypsy Danger. At the conclusion of Pacific Rim: The Movie, all First Generation Jaegers retired or destroyed, as such none exist during the Second Breach. First Generation Jaegers were also graded on a 1-10 scale on three catergories: Speed, Strength and Armor. Striker Eureka had the highest stats (10, 10, 9 respectively) among all the first generation Jaeger before its destruction. Second Generation Jaegers After the First Kaiju War, a second generation of Jaegers were built using advanced technology, namely a new "clean" fusion reactor to power the Jaegers for longer periods of time, while maximizing their movements, and engineering techniques that could create new forms of metals to enhance their durability. These newer Jaegers were known as the "Second Generation Marks" and are categorized in a similar manner. There names are classified as SGJ-M (Second Generation Jaeger - Mark) followed by their Mark number. Second Generation Jaegers still use the same grading system as its previous generation. Mark I Mark I Jaegers focused on size and power over speed and agility, relying on their crews to support them in those areas. As such, Mark I Jaegers are some of the largest Jaegers present during the Second Kaiju War, with Juggernaut Gold being the largest Jaeger ever produced among all the Marks. Mark I Jaegers still used the old Pons System to control them, requiring two pilots to move the colossal machines. Most of the Mark I Jaegers were either destroyed or retired due to their outdated controlling system and capabilities. *SGJ-M1 Triple Bronze (Destroyed) *SGJ-M1 Silver Kodiak *SGJ-M1 Gecko Nova (Destroyed) *SGJ-M1 Titan Black (Retired) *SGJ-M1 Envy Atlas *SGJ-M1 Juggernaut Gold (Retired) *SGJ-M1 Ruby Thunder (Retired) Mark II Seeing that mobility was a massive asset in combat, Mark II Jaegers focused on a more sleak frame after creating the only large Jaeger, Heavy Midnight. At first, Skinny Noise was created as the prime example of speed, but its low armor rating made it extremely vulnerable to damage and it was deemed a failure against the new Kaiju. Instead, they used Skinny Noise's frame and speed programming as a base for future Mark III's. Also, Mark II Jaegers were the first Jaegers to incorporate the M.I.M.E System, and with their smaller size, allowed them to be pilotted by a single individual. Gunner Bravo is considered a veteran Jaeger despite its lack of speed, possessing a 7 Kaiju kill-count and making it one of the most successful Jaegers in the entire program. *SGJ-M2 Heavy Midnight (Retired) *SGJ-M2 Jungle Sierra *SGJ-M2 Skinny Noise (Destroyed) *SGJ-M2 Gunner Bravo *SGJ-M2 Bishop Angry (Destroyed) Mark III Mark III Jaeger's saw an increase in overall performance, having better speed, power and armor rating, thanks to the M.I.M.E. System. Mark III Jaegers were considered the stepping stone to creating better Jaegers and helping unlock the full potential of newer Jaegers. Most of these Jaegers only required a single pilot, but the speed in which technological advancements was achieving, they soon became outdated with Hero Royal never completed. Triumph Blue was given an operations upgrade that gave it greater muscle memory capabilities that no other Jaeger has been able to reproduce, with technicians and scientists attributing its uniqueness to the pilot's ability to interface with it. *SGJ-M3 Ogre Beater (Destroyed) *SGJ-M3 Rusher Dynamo *SGJ-M3 Admantine Fox *SGJ-M3 Triumph Blue *SGJ-M3 Hero Royal (Never Completed) Mark IV As technology grew, Mark III's found themselves outdated and the Mark IV's were introduced. Mark IV Jaegers saw an increase in all its ratings, with several system upgrades that allowed it adapt to fighting situations much more fluidly. These Marks were also much more expensive to produce and required new sources of material to create them. Because of their price, only countries that were considered economic superpowers were able to afford these machines, but their capabilities far outweigh their huge pricetag. *SGJ-M4 Knuckle Platinum *SGJ-M4 Reaper Ocelot *SGJ-M4 Mighty Sakura *SGJ-M4 Cherry Rose *SGJ-M4 Nautilus Terror *SGJ-M4 Shogun Rising (Destroyed) *SGJ-M4 Winter Ghost Mark V Zenith is known to be working on a new Jaeger slated to possess the highest ratings of all the Jaegers existing. It is considered the most powerful Jaeger ever created and capable of intercepting any Kaiju regardless of its location. No information has been given regarding its location or who its pilots are, and it is sponsored entirely by Zenith. *SGJ-M5 Star Shadow